Dubs need hard core: O'Mahony

Conor McKeon
– 12 March 2015 03:00 AM

Diarmuid Connolly

GIVEN both teams' recent struggles against the forces of constriction, and their own apparent unwillingness to indulge thus far, maybe we'll see Dublin and Mayo cut loose on one another this Saturday night.

"The only little bit of pressure is on Dublin to get a couple of points, but even if they didn't win them at the weekend, they should still survive," says former Mayo, Galway and Leitrim boss, John O'Mahony, teasing out the prospect that we might see a little football played in McHale Park between teams with a tetchy recent history.

However, they are two counties who nevertheless broadly share an ethos at odds with the current defence-obsessed trend in the game.

"Mayo, if they pick up another three or four (points), they're definitely in the semi-finals.

"So it could be a game where we could see two teams unleashing something close to their absolute potential.

"Neither is that comfortable in a total defensive situation. So it could be a shoot out.

"Because there will be a huge amount of talent on the pitch, regardless of which 30 players are on at any given time."

Dublin's need for points might be a little more urgent than O'Mahony makes out in the naked context of this competition, yet Jim Gavin has been consistent all year that the utilisation of a high number of players (41 this year in O'Byrne Cup and League) and the tweaking of his team's on field terms of reference will remain their priorities, regardless of league position.